Favorites Friday!! Turquoise Skies and Sunshine :-)

Alright, folks- As your Friday draws to a close....it's Favorites Friday!  This week I put together a treasury on etsy.  I was inspired by this headband that I created this past week.

 It was one of those times (and other crafters can attest to this) when you create something and you instantly fall in love with it and have to talk yourself out of keeping it for yourself :-)  Anyway, I loooove this color combo and made an entire treasury based on the marriage of turquoise and yellow...And you're formally invited to the wedding to be held at https://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTU0NjEwOTF8MjcyNTg1OTk3Ng/turquoise-skies-and-sunshine?ref=af_you_tre

right now!  :-D 

Now...Wordless Wednesday

Ok, so let's pretend that it is a different day...that we had a time machine and now we're caught up to Wednesday again ;-)  BTW, this meme is absolutely 100% true about me.  I am currently wearing a comfy blue t-shirt and Chipmunk PJ pants (classic Chip and Dale Chipmunks, not Alvin, Simon and Theodore) 

Made It...Wednesday?!

It's not MONDAY?  Ok, ok....yeah.  It's Wednesday, not Monday.  I'm a little behind this week.  Please forgive me.  The Good News??? Since it's Wednesday, you get a two-fer!  Consider today Wonday! (Wednesday + Monday = Wonday, ok?!)

For Made-It Monday.....  Wrapped letters and monogram home décor (two different ways).  I first put this idea together a few years ago for my hallway.  Here's something you might not know about me...I LOVE MONOGRAMS.  I'm not sure why.  I just love them.  This is our "family" monogram (AHC- monograms are traditionally the first letter of the "bride's" name first, the first initial of the last name next and the first letter of the "groom's" name last). 

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
* Letters of choice (I got all 3 of mine at Hobby Lobby.  I wanted a 2 and 3 d look, and I wanted the middle initial to be larger.) 
* Yarn in colors of choice (or twine, etc.)
* Staple Gun
* Paper or fabric (for middle initial)
* Spray Adhesive or Mod Podge
* Frame of choice (optional)

The first photo is of my original design- you can't see the whole hallway here, but all of the frames were painted the muted teal color and matted with the rusty red-ish color, so it pulled together very well.  The second photo is my "newer" set up in the new place.  I switched the yarn for thick twine and I peeled the fabric off of the middle "H" and used a piece of scrapbook paper instead- it was the perfect color to pull everything together!)

Tips: Letters with "holes" are definitely a challenge.  Both times I did the "C" first and it was easy peasy.  Once I started the "A", I remember why I was so ready to be done with this project the first time around, lol.  Just stick with it.  You may have to unwrap and rewrap certain parts of the letter and recover it to make sure you cover all the wood.  The second time around when I used the twine, I didn't like the way the "A" turned out and I actually completely unwrapped it and started at the bottom instead of the top.  Just remember to make it your own and express your personality!  I was lucky enough to find the oval frame at hobby lobby with a broken glass top and got it on clearance because of it!

What do you think?
                                           

 

Favorites Friday- My favorite Guy ;-)

Ok, so I am LITERALLY riding the deadline for Favorites Friday today ;-)  This is my favorite guy- Yep.  After 10 years of marriage he's still my favorite...And although you don't know it, he should be one of your favorites too.  He helps keep my boutique afloat- whether it is cutting wood, sanding, trips to the post office, setting up for craft shows, building displays or endless answers to my "what do you think?" questions, he is always there for me.  I don't think I would have the confidence or strength to continue to make items and sell them or to even wake up every morning if it wasn't for this man.  I know it isn't Man Crush Monday (or whatever the "youn'ens" are calling it these days), but he is definitely my favorite.  My biggest fan.  My #1 man. 

We have been through so much in the past decade that I couldn't put enough words here in this blog...in the entire space of the vast internet...to convey what he means to me.  So, here's to the hubby, here's to my soul mate, here's to my love... Charles :-)

He's taken, ladies.  back off. 

And since he is probably one of the ONLY people to actually check my blog and keep up with it...Love you- today, tomorrow and always, Charles.  Mwaaah.

Wordless Wednesdays

Ok, I <3 New Girl.  In honor of the fact that my husband and I just spent a few nights re-watching (yes RE) every available episode of it on Netflix...here you go!  I freakin' love Jess.  I feel like I AM her (well, a less adorable version, but still...)

Made It Monday- Craft Table DIY

So, this is an "oldie", but a "goodie."  I have had A TON of requests for instructions on how I (Ok, WE, put together my craft table).  I found a plan for this table (a similar one) on pinterest a few years ago and kind of made up my own plans!  My AMAZING husband (who is quickly turning into a craftsman since he builds all of my craft show displays as well) put it together for me once I had drawn up the plans. 

What you need to make one like mine:
 - 2 "cheap-" book cases (mine came from Wal-Mart for $32)
- 1 large piece of melamine (Home Depot- they also cut mine down to proper size for me!  Cost me $30)
- Melamine iron-edging sealer (so the edges won't be raw- also from Home Depot-$5)
- Brackets/Screws- $5
- Yardstick (optional)- I have mine attached to the front of my table so measuring fabric/ribbon/wire is SUPER easy- I love it!

There are no real "instructions".  Put the Bookcases together according to package directions.  Lay the melamine on top of the bookcases ( with the bookcases at the opposite ends of the melamine sheet).  Use brackets to secure the melamine top to the back side/top of the bookcases.  Follow the directions on the melamine edging kit (mine used an iron) to "finish" the edges.  You could levae them raw if you would like, but I wouldn't recommend it.   Attach the yardstick to the front of the melamine and BAM! 

This whole project cost me only about $70 and I LOVE my table.  It has been through countless projects with a myriad of mediums and has never scarred or stained!  It even made it through our recent move with no damage :-)  It is perfect for storing all of my crafting and boutique supplies! 

Favorites Fridays- A Book Review for you!

Happy Friday!  Welcome to "Favorites Fridays". 

I wasn't quite sure what to share today and then it hit me- last night I finished a book that I ended up being pleasantly surprised with, so I decided to share that with you!

A while back my hubby and I were out and about (Ok, we were on one of the many Hobby Lobby trips that I make throughout the week trying to keep my boutique afloat, lol).  Now, we live in a city which has a Mardel Bookstore right next to HL.  My husband LOVES Mardel...  I was seeking to be a peacemaker this particular day and we hit both stores :-).  While he perused the aisles I ended up in the "Super saver" book section and bam- I found this little goodie for about $2!  I'll be honest, I was a little "leery" about it- Many "mainstream" Christian Authors get a little...forgive me for this...cheesy.  Many Christian authors, I have found, try so hard to weave "Christian" themes into their novels that they end up with disjointed story-lines and a lack of discernible plot or character development.  (Again, MY opinion). 

Now, to THIS book, lol.  I was drawn by the premise, which is always a good sign.  However, I quickly realized a few chapters in that I was kind of flying through it- I had a few late nights and finished the book in 2-3 days!  "The Chair", by: James Rubart is very well written and draws you in.  Yes, he is a Christian author, yet he managed to make his plot very REAL to actual life and centers the story around the theme of RESTORATION.  I'm not sure if it is the raw-ness of the characters and their pasts and struggles or if it is perhaps the adventure aspect of the prospect he presents- but I ended up LOVING this book.  Not only for entertainment value, but also for the thought-provoking aspect it gave me.  It spoke to me about my own life, my own struggles and actually had me in tears near the end.

The book is about a man named Corin and his failing antique store.  The main "premise" is that one day an anonymous woman shows up in his store and gives him a chair that seems to be VERY old.  She leaves him only with the idea that "a master craftsman" constructed it long, long ago.  A few days later a mother and her young son (who has severe asthma) are in the store and the boy has an extreme asthma attack.  To calm him, they sit the boy in "the chair".  Later, Corin finds a newspaper article with that very mother and son claiming that he was healed overnight after sitting "in a chair".  The idea has already come to Corin that the chair was built by JESUS in His years as a carpenter.  After cutting a piece of the chair and submitting it for "date" testing, the results come back impossible and amazing, deepening the mystery. 

Add very real-to-life characters in Corin's own life,  multiple people who "catch wind" of the item and will do anything to get it, and the "legend" of the enigmatic woman who gave him the chair and you get a surprisingly wonderful story which is faith-based.  I definitely recommend it!  I plan on looking for the other 2 novels that the author has written.

If you can't find it at your local Christian bookstore, you can get it here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Chair-James-L-Rubart/dp/1433671522/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393623372&sr=8-1&keywords=The+chair

If you read it, let me know what you think of it!

I will leave you with a quote from the book that really spoke to me about my own life.  Haven't we all felt this way at some point in our lives?  I think this is why the book was so good, in my opinion.  It is very REAL to the REAL lives of Christians.  This quote happens when Corin is speaking to his brother (who is paralyzed from the neck down) about sitting in the chair and seeing what happens:

 "Hope is better left dead.  Each time it's resurrected, its subsequent death is a little harder to take.  So I've killed it for good.  Or I've tried.  But you and I know, and the whole human race knows, you can't kill hope entirely because there's always one little bubble willing to rise with the slightest encouragement.  And that would happen if I let you put me in that chair.  I would hope once more, I would let it sweep me into your little shop, and I would sit in your ancient artifact and nothing would happen."

I hope you will check out "The Chair"!